China’s Avic Dives into Flight Training Business

China’s Avic International is going into the flight training business. The group announced at Airshow China 2012 yesterday that it is bringing to China a new company, Alabama-based Zulu Flight Training, to address the need for general aviation pilot training in China. Zulu Flight Training opened its first training center in the U.S. last July.

According to Avic, the flight training system to be offered by Zulu will consist of sophisticated full-motion flight simulators and ground school. Primary training centers will be placed in easily accessible locations, with the focus on large metropolitan areas first. “No longer does flight training need to center around the airport,” said Yu Yimin, executive vice president of Avic International. “We want to provide a consistent, structured and stress-free environment at a set price to help people obtain their pilot certificate whether it is for career or pleasure,” he continued.

Flying in aircraft will only come after Zulu’s customers have had plenty of instruction in Redbird flight simulation devices and traditional classroom ground school.